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Former Q13 anchor Christine Chen has left the broadcast industry to pursue other avenues in the business world.

Heidi Dietrich

Staff Writer

After eight years as co-anchor of Q13 Fox News at Ten, Christine Chen left the television news business Nov. 29. In a recent conversation, the 38-year-old journalist and former Puget Sound Business Journal "40 Under 40" award winner, talked about what's next.

On trying to keep her departure quiet: It's very difficult to talk to people about leaving the industry when you're on TV every night because nobody wants to stay quiet about it. When I (went) public with this information, I found immediately doors started flying open.

On her interest in business: At the time of the dot-com boom, I was doing a lot of technology and business reporting. It was my main beat at Q13. Since then, I've done a lot of business reporting for the station, so it's always been in the back of my mind to revisit the business world. The general direction I'm heading is to use 16 years of experience to build a company's corporate communications and marketing strategy. I'm currently looking at several opportunities that will allow me to do that. I definitely see myself working for another company to begin with. If anyone wants to talk to me, feel free.

On growing up around business: My dad was the first Asian senior vice president of Bank of America, and my parents ran a small business importing high-end Japanese ceramics for hotels and restaurants. I helped that business through junior high and high school by typing labels, moving boxes, and going to conventions with my mother and father. I always had exposure to the business community.

On leaving television: I think people are skeptical when TV people say they want to leave because they think you have this glamorous job, but it is a lot of hard work and you make a lot of personal sacrifices in order to stay in the industry. A lot of it is scheduling. This is my 11th year in the Seattle television market, and I'm working for Thanksgiving. Right now I work Sundays through Thursdays, and go in around 2 p.m. and don't get home until after 11 p.m. But there's pluses to it. If I go to Costco on a weekday, I've got Costco to myself. If I make the mistake and go to Whole Foods on a Saturday, I'm overwhelmed.

On what she'll miss: Definitely the people. The news industry attracts people with a unique sense of humor.

On what she won't miss: I've never been an external based kind of person, and TV news is very externally based. One of the things people ask me most about is my hair. It's crazy, because I consider myself a bright thinker, so I'm always amazed when people ask me about my hair.

On whether people recognize her: They do. A lot of people say, you know you look like the younger sister of Christine Chen. I say, well, actually that's me. I can only be grateful that people recognize me and appreciate me for the job I'm trying to do for the community. But I think that people don't realize what it's like to be a public person. I can name a long list of strange things that have happened to me because I'm on TV. I've been stalked twice. That's not something I'll miss.

On the news story that had the biggest impact on her: Obviously 9/11. I wasn't even in New York so I can't understand how those people handled it, because 3,000 miles away, my heart was just dying the whole morning. The first plane hit right before we went on air. People would say to me, thank you for being there, having you there as someone we know giving us the information with a sense of stability. That was gratifying for me.

On meeting her current boyfriend through the Business Journal's 40 Under 40 awards program: We did the yoga pictures in the ad (to solicit applications for the next 40 Under 40 honorees), and he saw my picture in the Puget Sound Business Journal. He thought, this girl's cute, and he e-mailed me. I didn't go out with him because I don't go out with anyone who e-mails me randomly, and then he said some convincing things and my girlfriends said he's an attorney and so accomplished and cute and smart, you have to go out with him. I met him for a drink and knew he'd be good for me. We've been together for a year and a half. That picture in 40 Under 40 is what scored me a love life that I never thought I'd have. He's perfect for me.

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